Automatic attachment for fire-extinguisher systems



Get. 9, 1923.

mmws

J. C. MELOON AUTOMATIC ATTACHMENT FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS Filed March 16. 1921 rfiifiaiiiafifl 377650071 5 m, MMW

attorfiqyf Patented i923.

STAT

1,430,178 FIQE.

PAT

JONATHAN o. MELoomor PROVIDENCE, nnonn stann.

AUTOMATIC ATTAGHMENT FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS.

Application filed March 16,1921. Serial No. 452,816.

To all whom itmay concern;

Be it known that I, JONATHAN LOON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Provi the invention to provide apparatus that will.

continue the operation of the. alarm .or other apparatus without lnterruption until stopped by human interference. It is a 1 further object of the invention to construct the apparatus so that :it will be capablexof putting into action whatever number and variety of apparatusmay be desired, with suf- [icient power-to operate catch -including for example, a water motoijorapump starting apparatus. I have already,- in my United States Patent No...1,401,1 75,, disclosed. and,

claimed broadly apparatus. for accomplishing this, n whichthe specific means of attainmg the ob ect 1s aswing ngarm, operated by the parts which move to close the drip.

chamber as alreadywell. known, which arm opens a valve to admit water and pressure from .the main supply. sufficient to. maintain the status and to operate the desired appara tus. I Thepresent isa species ofthis generic form, in which the objects are .attainediby setting a T-coupling of special design inQthe line of pipe which isprovided to operate the alarm. or other apparatus,.(usually in the drip pipe from the intermediate chamber of an alarm valve in the main riser) provided with apparatus which at the proper moment opens a valve inthe leg of the T to admit-a full flow and pressure of water direct from the supply side of the ,alarm valve. I The T. valve, is held closed by a spring while-the apparatus is set at which time there is at mospheric pressure within the T; but upon the opening of; a sprinkler head,-;with conse q ntfl w of wa ran opening o th ala m. valve in the main riser: the :Tbecoines I filled with water under pressure. The to-p of the r T contains a diaphragm by'means of which this pressure overcomes the spring and permits the T valve toopen. Being once open] it is thereafter maintained .openpby the di- C. HIE;

rectpressure of water-from the main system 1 andethe flowtherefrom 1s utlhzedto mam-- tain the alarmsgiving apparatus in continnous operation.

The vinventlon is represented in the ac companying drawing in connection with a' wellknown system for actuating an alarm,

but as itis readily adaptable to various other .l

systems having similar functions, the embodiment shownis merely illustrative. It is intended that the patent, shall cover by suit... ablevexpression in the appended claims whatever features of patent-able novelty exist vin the invention disclosed.

In the drawing herewith, the single figure shows an alarm actuating apparatus embody mg the nvention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown, apart of thewater supplyto a sprinkler. containing an alarm valvelO through which. the main supply of water under pressure passes from the entrance 12 out throughv the. I

discharge portion let into] the distributing pipes of the system. The alarm valve ,10

maybe of any suitable type, and is here.

shown having aclapper which closes the mainopening of. the valve as well as an. annulargroove 18, constituting a difi erentialor intermediate chamber, formed in the seat 2O thereof. A passage. 22 from this intermediate chamber 18 leads through a pipe2 l, in.

whichis aT valve coupling 26, to a drip or retarding chamber 30. hen set, andiwa'iting for the apparatus to be called into acto atmosphere; but thismay be closed, by a lid 34 according to well known arrangements, or by other suitable means which res main, solas to permit the free discharge of any. small amount of water entering the drip, chamber asby leakage through the valve 10, p but which are so restricted as to prevent es- 7, cape, ofthe greater flow which occurs upon the raising .of the alarm valve 10 from its seat, consequent upon the opening -of a sprinkler. In the apparatus illustratedthe accumulation of water causesthe spring sup ported bottom 38 of the dripchamber to be .depressed.; This brings downflthe lid 1 an se l h c1m '32;a daie t ianqe.of :1. the flow builds up a column of water which 1; rises through pipe a0 to start the alarmactuating. apparatus 42. o It would b esupposed that this water wouldkeep the alarm app ratusin continuous action. lnpracticahow} ever, the alarm is sometimes 1nte rm1ttent.

tion, this drip chamber has a drain .32 open vides means.

To correct this the present invention pro- In the embodiment here illustrated a T coupling 26 of special design is inserted the passage 22 with the head of the T forming a part of the passage, and with the leg of the T providing for the junctlon therewith of a pipe 44 from any constant supply of water under pressure which in this instance may conveniently be the water supply of the main system. The T coupling comprises a hollow body portion on opposite sides of which its entrance and exit pipes 24 ofthe passage 22 are'connected,

and to the bottom of which the pressure ipe 44 is joined. This bottom opening in the coupling chamber is normally closedby a conical facedva'lve 48 whos'e'stem 5O ex-v tends upwardly through the chamber into engagement with a compression spring 52' which tends to k'eep'the valve on its seat and is strong enough to do so'against the mere pressure of supply in pipe 44. The stem also carries a diaphragm'56 which is clamped thereto between the flange disk 58 of thestemand a backing plate 60 held in place by a nut 62. The diaphragm is tightly clamped at its perimeter between the body.

and cover of the coupling. Thus theidiaphragm forms the top of the chamber and constitutes a movable wall in the passage 22 fromfthe alarm valve 10 to'the retarding chamber 30. The cover, above the diaphragm,hasa central recess for the spring 52, and also has a shallow annular recess 64 which provides a seat forthe backing plate when the valve 48 is raised and is under heavy upward pressure from the water admitted by the opening of valve 48.

In operatiom-the valve 48 ordinarily remainsiclosed. "Leakage and drip flow of water proceeds through the coupling chamber 26' anddrip chamber at atmospheric pressure; and the only force tending to open the valve 48 is thehigh water pressure in pipe 44. But when the opening of alarm valve" 10 increases the flow so that a column of'water rises in the drip chamber, upward pressure begins to be exerted on the diaphrag'm 56. The latter is of such large diameter that a relatively low head, caused by the columnin the drip chamber 30, will be s'ufficient whenpressing upward on the diaphragm in conjunction with the pressure eX- erted by the'water in the pipe 44 on the face of the valve 48to lift the latter, overcoming I the pressure exerted by the-spring-52 on the upper" end of the valve stem. The upward pressure onthe diaphragm is immediately increased by this accession. Being constant and high this-pressure will hold the diaphragm" up and keep the valve 48 open even though the alarm valve 10 becomes closed.

The valve in the coupling beingthus held open the pressure of water in the supply pipe is constantly transmitted through the system to the alarm actuatingapparatus, or to other apparatus, thereby insuring its steady and continuous operation.

If other devices are to be operated such as awater motor or the like, connections may be made thereto or to the alarm by the pipe 66 connected to the system between the valve T coupling and the drip chamber, or by the pipe 68 above the latter, from either of which, once the valve has opened, the supply of water will be constant at the same pressure as exists in the main supply system.

Although the valve coupling has'been described as a T, constituting a partof the passage 22 and providing'for the introduction of'fa' branch thereinto, and is shown with the valve 48 working vertically, it is obvious that it could be attached otherwise to the system and would operate any side up.

The invention thus described has -numer-- 'ous advantages in addition to those already hole for a connection through a single inlet, 7

which in that'cas'e serves the purpose of the two inlets illustrated in the drawing for the pipe the other inlet provided therefor, in the "chamber being plugged andxthe bottom inlet connected to pressuresupply as described. It can for these reasons be added' to any type of drip chamber. "By reason of the arrangement ofthe valve in the leg of the T as a pup-petvalve with the high pressure supply against one face of it the valve is sure to open-when the proper conditions arise, because of the direct and powerful effect of the high pressure supply which may be considered to be ordinarily in the vicinity of sixty poundsper square inch.

Because of the straight valve stem and rectilinear movement of the valve. stem and dia- 'phra'gm there is no friction. And when closed it will be closed tight because of the direct nature of the pressure supplied by the spring, without angles or slip oint-s. If de-' sired this apparatusmay be used for testing the alarm. To that end the casing cover is represented as being perforated centrally,

7 with. the stem of the valve projecting 'so as to be reachedto be pulled up by hand. A removable cap '70" ordinarily covers and protects the valve stem from unauthorizedinterference. Although: the pressure supply to which the device is connected will ordi- 1 narily and most'conveniently be the main supply of water for sprinklers, in advance of the alarmyalve, it is obvious that the connection may, if desired, be made of. any source of supply v I claim as my invention:

1. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler systemhaving a valve,said valve being in the water supply part of the system, opened by flow of water .therethrough and subject to closure by surge therein, comprising the combination, with. a passage having an inlet controlled by said valve, having a restricted discharge, and communicatinglwith apparatus to be operated by accumulation of water from inflow exceedingca-pacityof dischargaet a second inlet to said passage connected with the system on the supply side of said valve and continuously open {to pressure thereof; a valve for the second inlet arranged with pressure of thesupply fluid tending to, open it; yielding means for maintainingsaid'valve oi the second inlet closed; and a movable wall for the passage, engaging the stem of the second valve and having large area rela-' tiveto the area of that valve, whereby the accumulation of a smallhead of water counterbalances said yieldableclosing means enough to permit the opening of said second inlet valve, and the resulting increase of pressure maintains the second inlet valve open. a

2. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system having a main supply pipe with subsidiary outlet-passage into which the flow is subject to delay by surge, which has restricted outflow, and wherein a large inflow will produce an accumulation of water to actuate auxiliary apparatus, comprising the combination of a separate inlet from high pressure supply to said passage, a valve therefor, and a chamber within the passage, at said inlet, having means sensitive to pressure from accumulated water in said passage and a connection therefrom for opening said valve; whereby the enhanced flow and pressure, thus separately entering from the high pressure supply, maintain the valve open and so maintain the accumulation of water for continuous actuation of said apparatus.

3. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combination of an auxiliary chamber having two inlets from the main sprinkler supply pipe, and having connection to an accumulater, one of said inlets being controlled by means operated by flow in the main pipe, means for maintaining the other of the inlets ordinarily closed in the absence of said flow, and means whereby it is opened upon the accumulation of a small head of water in the accumulator.

4. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system comprising a casing containing a chamber adapted to constitute part of a passage between an alarm valve in the main supply pipe and an accumulator; said chamwithinthe casing adapted to close said side inlet against high pressure water supply external to the chamber, and means exposed .within the chamber to open said side inlet when pressed by a small internal head oi vater from the accumulator.

5. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system comprising a casing containing a chamber adapted for connection to an accumulator of water; said chamber having an additional inlet,,and there being, in combination therewith, means within the casing adapted to close said additional inlet against high pressure water supply external to the chamber, and means exposed within the chamber to opensaid additional inlet when pressed by small internal head of water from the accumulator.

with a subsidiary-outlet-passage in which the flow is subject to delay by surge, comprising the combination of a chamber in said passage having a restricted dischargewherein;

an inflow exceeding the discharge will produce' an accumulation of water to actuate auxiliary apparatus; a second chamber in said passage having a separate inlet from a high pressure water supply, a valve therefor normally closed but. adapted to be opened by pressure from the accumulation in the first said chamber whereby water thus admitted thereafter maintains the accumulation for continuous actuation of the auxiliary apparatus. e

7. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system having a main supply pipe with subsidiary outlet-passage into which the flow is subject to delay by surge, which has restricted outflow, and wherein a large inflow will produce an accumulation of water to actuate auxiliary apparatus, in combination with a casing with which said passage com municates, having a separate inlet from high pressure supply, and comprising a chamber having a diaphragm adapted to be moved outward by pressure from accumulated water in the passage, a valve normally closing said separate inlet having a stern attached to said diaphragm, a spring acting on said stein tending to keep the valve closed but yielding a is subject to delay by surge, which has restricted outflow, and wherein a large inflow will produce an accumulation of water to actuate auxiliary apparatus, in combination with a casing with which saidpassage communicates, having a separate inlet from high pressure'supply, and comprising a chamber having a diaphragm adapted to be moved outward by pressure from accumulated water in the passage, a valve normally closing'said separate inlet having a stem attached to said diaphragm, extending outside of said casing and adapted to be engaged manually from without, a spring acting on said stem tend ing to keep the valve closed but yielding to said'ma-nual force, whereby on application of said force'the valve opens and water from the high pressure supply maintains itopen,

will produce an accumulation of water to actuate auxiliary apparatus, in combination with a casing with which said passage communicates, having a separate inlet from high pressure supply, and comprising a chamberhavin a dia hra m ada ted to be moved outward by pressure from accumulated water in the passage, a'valve normally closing said separateinlet having a stem attached to said diaphragm, a spring acting on said stemv tending to keep the valve closed but yielding to the. pressure of the accumulated :water on the diaphragm to open said valve, whereby upon yielding'of the diaphragm water irom the high pressure supply pipe 1nain-.

tains the 'dlaphragin outward, and means for drawing the diaphragm outward, thereby to open said separate inlet from without the system.

10. An attachment for an automatic sprinkler system comprismg a casing con-' taining a chamber adapted for connection to an accumulator of water; sald chamber hav 111g an nddltlOllal inlet, and there being, in

combination therewith, means within the casing adapted to close said additional inlet against high pressure water supply external to the chamber, and means exposed within the chambento open said additional inlet when pressed by a small internal head of water from the accumulator; there being means for external draft upon said internal closing means, whereby the additional inlet may be opened manually. l

Signed at Providence, county of Providence and State of Rhode "Island, this 15th day of February, 1921.

JONATHAN G. lvlELOON. r 

